Channahon trustees approve $2.61M tax levy, debris ordinance

At a brief Village Board meeting Monday night, Channahon trustees unanimously approved the 2018 tax levy of $2.61 million based on an estimated equalized assessed valuation of $351.33 million.

The levy would make the village’s tax rate 0.7449, virtually the same as this year’s rate, which is 0.7448.

Finance director Heather Wagonblott said the levy was set to cover budgeted expenses and operational needs for the upcoming fiscal year.

Levied property tax dollars do not cover all of the village’s expenses, Wagonblott said. Other revenues the village receives each year – such as state and local taxes and fees and fines – make up the rest.

The small increase in the tax rate compared with this year’s rate, Wagonblott said, will cost the owner of a home valued at $300,000 about an additional 11 cents a year for the village’s portion of property taxes, or about a penny a month.

Wagonblott said this only is the village’s portion of property tax bills and does not include taxes from schools and other taxing bodies.

There are some inaccurate rumors on social media, Wagonblott said, that the village will be receiving much more from the levy than it will in reality. She said she believes the rumors are based on erroneous calculations comparing numbers from last year’s tax extension with the numbers of the tax levy from this year.

Also Monday, Channahon trustees approved an ordinance making it unlawful to leave foreign materials on village streets and rights of way.

Construction soon will begin on a development that will extend the Ravine Woods subdivision eastward. Residents of the existing neighborhood had asked the village for help to keep their roads and sidewalks clear of construction debris, dirt and rocks.

The new ordinance will apply to all of Channahon and states that material such as soil, clay, mud, stone and gravel may not be left on roads and sidewalks, even when it is dropped from tires of passing vehicles. The ordinance also bans leaving grass, leaves, weeds or other landscape waste on roads.

Some materials may be temporarily placed on such locations with the permission of the police or public works departments.

Previously, the ordinance applied only to throwing snow and slush onto public streets, such as from a snowblower.

Fines for violations were set at $500.

“This gives us more teeth to go after individuals who are violating this code,” Village Administrator Thomas Durkin said.